Assignment: Political Advertisement (group or individual)

Name(s): Class:

Due date:

Approvals (teacher initials): Topic ______Tech tools ______

Parent Signature for topic(if needed): ______

Overview: You have been studying U.S. politics and the Constitution. You will now extend that study into current events as you create a political “issue” advertisement using your choice of several web-based or electronic media. Finished advertisements that meet all project requirements may be shared with the U.S. congressional representatives and senators representing our community or made available to local television stations as representative of young voters’ opinions. Maybe posted on Facebook? You decide where it goes from here.

Requirements:See rubric for exact specs and point values for requirements

  1. Your ad may be created using text, visuals, and audio from any tool. Suggestions:
  2. Visuals and narration on Voicethread
  3. Online poster (glog) with audio, text, and visual elements
  4. Written video script and recording uploaded to a school-friendly video site such as SchoolTube or TeacherTube.
  5. Ask which video sharing tool is available for your class. Technical tool plans must be pre-approved by your teacher and accessible within the school network filter.
  6. Your choice of political issue must be pre-approved as school-appropriate. Controversial topics may require parental approval.
  7. Video ads may be no shorter than 30 seconds and no longer than 60 seconds.
  8. Your ad must present a definite position with substantial evidence as backing for that position.
  9. Your ad must include valid and current data and information, verified from reliable sources. Your group is responsible for written documentation of all sources used and for demonstrating reliability of these sources in an annotated bibliography.
  10. Your ad may use creative approaches, propaganda techniques, and other efforts to convince your audience without misrepresenting information.

Creative Options/Questions:

  1. Remix:What other project have you done connected to Constitutional concepts or a related topic that you would like to remix into this political ad? Perhaps an art project, a writing piece, or some science research? Maybe something you did last year? Not a problem, as long as you disclose it up front on your idea bin and rubric.
  2. Re-use: What ideas are in your idea bins that you would really like to USE or explore? Can you connect them here? How would you adapt this assignment to include these ideas? Request a conference to include in your rubric.
  3. Restart: If you find that you need to start over or repeat back before the due date, explain why in a written request for either a project extension or permission to submit a “project in progress” at due date. ONLY projects that show considerable progress in your idea bins and steps so far will be allowed to restart. Procrastination is now a viable reason for an extension. DOCUMENT your process so far and explain In writing why you want to restart.
  4. Creativity Buddy: If you know your creative process works in sync with a specific classmate, you may work together on this project.

Resources: Collect as many sources and ideas as you can in your idea bin/wall. Be sure to copy/paste their exact URLs of information sources, quotes, videos, and image sources to be included in the Bibliography you will include along with your completed project (See Task Details).

Some possible places to START looking:

TeachersFirst Current Events listings (a good starter list)

Newsy

A good place to see different perspectives on news. Stories on video also include transcripts so you can read along.

ESL News

News stories in simple English, with audio

Online Newspapers

Newspapers by location

Gallup Daily

News and Statistics from the Gallup organization

BBC

British Broadcasting’s news service

New York Times

A leading U.S. newspaper---do you see a bias? Compare to others. Note: free service is limited, so be careful how many articles you access.

Christian Science Monitor

Respected news source. Does this differ from NYT?

Fox News

Compare articles here with the sources above

Add your own preferred news source, but be sure to compare!

(Add more or fewer teacher supplied resources here)

Task Timeline:

List the steps required to complete this project and day/dates you will complete each step—and the people responsible. A collaborative idea bin is a good place to color code the tasks for each group member. Make stickies or task notes for each day:

Day 1 (date: ):

Day 2: (date: ):

Task Details:

  1. Fill and explore your idea bin, then select your issue topic and obtain approval from your teacher via email or signature on paper. Controversial topics are allowed, but must receive written parental approval.
  2. Submit the URL of your in-progress idea bin or bring hard copy “bins” to class daily. Save these ideas. You may use them again in a future project!
  3. Research for your supporting documents and data. Collect in idea bin (shareable by link or in hard copy). Your idea bin counts, even if you don’t use everything in this project. Most likely you won’t. You may use web sources, images, news articles, videos, etc. but all must be documented (know the URL!) and critiqued for reliability.
  4. Choose your technology tool(s) and post your intentions on you idea bin wall.
  5. Feel free to change plans along the way simply by reporting the change on your idea bin wall.
  6. A written script must accompany all projects, whether audio-only or visuals plus audio. Use a tool that will track the various versions of your script (Google docs, ietherpad, a wiki page)
  7. Time your script before recording!
  8. Your final project must include a full Annotated Blibliography using APA style. You may want to use NoodleBib Bibliography maker to assist you. Be sure to track all resources used in your idea bin AS you collect them so you do not have to retrace your steps to create the Bibligraphy. A separate Word document or Google Docs file is helpful for this. Annotations must include your reasons for believing that this is a reliable source (information on the source, who recommended it, etc.) Simply saying “My mom told me to use it,” is not enough. How do we know that your source is presenting reasonably balanced information?
  9. Submit your assignment via email by sending the link to with email attachments or links to the file(s) for script, bibliography, etc. [alternate: use a wiki submission page for all project links]. Signatures may be on this form or as forwarded emails. ALL files must be submitted by the start of class on your due date. If you need additional computer time, arrange for this in advance in person or by email. Student name(s) MUST be in the subject line of all emails and file names for full credit.
  10. Your customized rubric must be submitted along with your project or project-in-progress.
  11. All images, sounds, etc. must be legal to use on broadcast television. It is best to use your own images or Creative Commons licensed items. All images, voices, and sound files must be used legally and/or with written permission. Fair Use does not apply to remixing items and distributing them openly in the media. If you are not sure, ASK first.
  12. All use of online tools, web resources, and the school network must be in accordance with the school Acceptable Use Policy. If you ate not sure, ASK FIRST. Violations will result in severe point deductions and a possible NO CREDIT for the assignment.
  13. Extras: *may require extra time! See Options about extensions. Add what fits your creative interests and process.

Costuming, scenery, celebrity endorsements, creative use of imagery, music, your own artwork, visual effects, etc.

  1. What would you change about this ad if you could do it again? As you collect things and set some aside, keep track of them. You may need these pieces for another project in this class or to share your thoughts with the media.
  2. Changes to this assignment to fit your ideas are welcome. Just explain.

Sample Technology-based Project Assignment from TeachersFirst.com Download and adapt as needed, but please give appropriate credit below in bold. Please help TeachersFirst (a free, non-profit service) by asking others to download on their own, allowing us to document site traffic. This assignment created using a template from and can be downloaded and adapted for use by one teacher or classroom.